Means for securing printing plates to the cylinders of printing machines



Aug. 11, 1936. I w. F. HUCK MEANS FOR SECURING PRINTING PLATES- TO THE CYLINDERS OF PRINTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 31, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 m .0 2 a m o e w 2 m V & w\ v N 4 I, I. x .2 M 9 K 1 c 1 U 3 H F. w w m Aug. 11, 1936. MEANS FOR SECURING PRINTING PLATES TO THE CYLINDERS 0F PRINTING MACHIRES W. F. HUCK Aug. 11, 1936.

MEANS FOR SECURING PRINTING PLATES TO THE CYLINDERS OF PRINTING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 31, 1934 BV ENT'OR.

Isa-

Aug. 11, 1936.

W. F. HUCK MEANS FOR SECURING PRINTING PLATES TO THE CYLINDERS OF PRINTING MACHINES Patented Aug. 11, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT orric MEANS son SEC mmzs ' G PRINTING PLATES THE 0mm) as 0F PRINTING MA- William F. Huck, Richmond Hill, N. Y., asslg'nor,

by mesne assignments, to It.

Hoe 8t 00., Inc.,

New York. N. 2., a corporation of New York Application December 31, 1934, Serial No..759,982

18 Claims.

the plate or form cylinder of rotary printing machines.

In existing rotary printing machines, the curved or arcuate stereotype or electrotype printing plates are clamped or locked to the periphery of the printing or form cylinders, and particularly rotary newspaper printing machines, by arcuate clamp members or ring segments, and these arcuate clamp members are moved longitudinally or axially along the cylinders intolocking engagement with the curved ends of the printing plates, thereby locking or clampingthe opposed curved ends of each plate to its cylinder. The printing plates are further held against motion around the plate cylinders by margin bars which are secured on the peripheral portion of the cylinders and extend longitudinally thereof. When the plates are clamped to the plate cylinders, the straight longitudinal edges of the plates engage or abut the longitudinal edges'of the mar-' gin bars, thereby preventing movement of the plates around the cylinders, but, however, the margin bars do not secure the plates against radial movement, such as may be produced by centrifugal force when the printing cylinders are rotated at relatively high operating speeds.

This method of securing the printing plates to the plate cylinders is commercially satisfactory when the printing presses are run at commercial speeds heretofore acceptable. However, there is a progressively increasing demand'for higher uperating speeds for rotary printing machines, and

in designing rotary printing machines to meet this demand, it is necessary to provide additional securing or clamping means for each printing plate.

An object of my present invention is to provide means for clamping or locking the straight or longitudinal edges 0! curved printing plates to the plate cylinders. I

A more specific object of this invention is the provision of means for locking or interlocking the straight or longitudinal edges of curved printing plates to the longitudinal edges of the margin bars positioned on the peripheral portion oi the plate cylinders.

Another object of this invention is the construction and arrangement of the margin bars carried by the cylinders and the construction and arrangement of the straight or longitudinal edges of the printing plates so that they interlock to secure the longitudinal straight edges of each printing plate to its plate cylinder.

A further object of this invention is the construction and arrangement of the margin bars positioned on the peripheral portion of the plate or form cylinders and the construction and arrangement of the straight or longitudinal edges oi the curved printing, plates for interlocking engagement, and the provision of means for moving the printing plates into interlocking engagement with 10 the margin bars to thereby secure the longitudinal edges of each printing plate to its supporting cylinder.

An additional object oi this invention is the provision of means for clamping or locking the straight or longitudinal edges of arcuate printing plates to the margin bars carried by the plate cylindersv without interfering with the construction or operation of the conventionalv means for clamping the curved ends of the plates, thus permitting both the longitudinal edges and the curved ends of the plate to be clamped or locked to the plate cylinders to prevent the plates from being thrown oil the cylinders by centrifugal force. It is also an object of this invention to provide plate clamping mechanism of generally improved construction and arrangement, whereby the device will be simple, durable and inexpensive in construction as well as convenient, practical, serviceable and emcient in its use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts, and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that various changes in form, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any advantages of the invention.

Fora complete disclosure of the invention, a detailed description of a preferred and modified form thereof will now be given in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part 4 of this specification, wherein: I

Figure 1 is a fragmental sectional view taken through a plate or form cylinder of a rotary printing machine with parts of the machine frame and operating components being shown in elevation, and the printing plates being depicted in locked or clamped position;

Figure 2 is a similar view, but showing one of the printing plates and its plate clamping mechanism in released position;

the line 3-3 of Figure 1, and showing the end portion of a plate or form cylinder and components ofthe improved plate locking mechanism;

Figure 4 is a fragmental sectional viewtaken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure '5 is a fragmental end ,elevation of a plate or form cylinder showing a modified form of plate clamping mechanism, parts appearing in section, and the plate being shown in clamped or locked position;

Figure 6 is a similar view, but showing one of the plates and its plate clamping mechanism in released position;

Figure 7 is a fragmental end elevation, parts appearing in section, of a plate or form cylinder depicting another form of plate clamping mechanism, the plates being shown in clamped or locked position;

Figure 8 is a similar view, but showing one of the plates and its plate clamping mechanism in released position; and

Figure 9 is a fragmental end elevation of a plate or form cylinder, parts appearing in sections, depicting a further modified form of this invention.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar ref erence characters designate corresponding parts, I0 indicates a plate or form cylinder to be employed in rotary printing machines, and peripheral portions of each plate cylinder III are cut away at its ends to providerecesses H for the reception of bearing blocks or plates l2 having spaced bearing apertures i4 formed therein, and these bearing plates 12 are secured to the cylinder [0 by screws or other securing devices l3. In the form illustrated, the bearing plates l2 are positioned at diametrically opposed points on the periphery of the plate cylinder ill, at each end thereof, and each margin bar I5 is secured to the periphery of the cylinder l0 and extends longitudinally of the cylinder and overlaps the intermediate portion of each bearing plate l2. By this arrangement the bearing apertures l4 of each bearing plate l2 are positioned at opposed sides of the margin bar 15 and are preferably spaced equal distances therefrom, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Longitudinally extending shafts l6 are mounted for rotation or oscillation in the cylinders in by reducing the end portions of the shaft l6, as/Pdicated at H, and positioning the reduced end gortion I! in the bearing apertures l4 formed in the bearing plates 12. A lever I8 is secured to the reduced end I! of each shaft l6, and it is locked against rotation relative to the shaft I6 by means of a suitable key IS. The in- 'termediate portion of each lever l8 has the enlarged head 20 of a stem cr'rod 2| secured thereto by means of a shoulder screw or bolt 22, which extends through an aperture formed in the head 20 and is locked to the lever by a nut 24, thus per- 'mitting thehead 20 of the link to turn about the e bolt 22.Each stem 2| is slidably received within a sleeve or tubular member 28 having an enl'arged rounded head 21 which is received within a socket 28 formed in the shaft or extension 29 of the cylinder I0, and the inner portion of each socket is shaped to conform to the rounded head 21 of the sleeve 26, thus permitting rocking motion of each sleeve 26 within its socket 23. A helical extension spring 3| surrounds each sleeve 20 and the sliding stern 2i, and one terminal of the springengagestheqilargedheadfl ofthe sleeve and'the cpposed terminal th enlar edheadflcfthesimlhtherebyexerting 2,050,950 Figure 3 is a fragmental sectional view taken on I a stress or tension on these heads tending to move the stem 2| outwa rdly. The outer terminal of each lever l8 has a roller 32 secured thereto by means of a shoulder bolt or screw 33, and the sonar-s2 is thereby engaged, in a phase of opera- 5 tion of the device, by a plunger 34 secured to a piston 35 slidably mounted in a cylinder 38 which is supported by the printing machine frame F. A helical extension spring 31 surrounds the plunger 34, and one terminal of this spring engages the 10 piston 35, and the opposed terminal engages a ring nut or annulus 38 threadedly secured to the end of the cylinder 36. The cylinder 36 is con- 7 nected with a suitable source of fluid under pres sure, not shown, through suitable pipes or con- 15 duits having their terminal fitting 39 screwed into the head '40 of the cylinder 36, thus providing means for forcing the piston outwardly against the influence or tension of the spring 31, as will from the tubular portion or member 40 and is positioned and arranged to engage the roller 32 of the adjacent lever l8 during a phase of operation of the device to be hereinafter disclosed. A stop member or stud 45 is threadedly secured to the 85 end of the cylinder l0 adjacent each arm 42 to limit the outward movement of the arm 42 in a position to cause the finger 44 to engage the roller 32 of the adjacent arm i8.

Apertures or recesses 48 are formed in the in- 40 her face of each curved or arcuate stereotype printing plate 49 to define shoulders 50, and a plurality of these apertures extend longitudinally of the plate and are positioned adjacent the iongitudinal or straight terminals or edges of the plate. The straight or longitudinal terminals or edges of the printing plates 48 are provided with beveled extensions 52, and these beveled extensions cooperate with similar beveled extensions 53 formed on the margin bars l5 by undercutting the longitudinal edge of these bars, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

In order to forcibly move the beveled extensions 52 of the printing plates 49 into locking engagement with the beveled extensions 53 or undercut portions of the margin bars IS, a plurality of pawls orfingers 55 extend radially from each shaft l8, and are arranged to project into the recesses 48 and engage their shoulders 50 when the shafts I5 are rotated by the outward movement of the lever it under the influence or tension of the springs 30. This movement forces the beveled projections 52 of the' engaged printing plate under the beveled projections 53 of the margin bars l5 positioned at the opposed sides of the plate, thereby securely locking the plate to the cylinder.

In operation, when it is desired to plate the plate cylinder II, it is rotated to a plating position", as shown in Figures 1 and 2, where then selected rollers 32 are located immediately adjacent andbeiowthepmngersll of thepistons 35., -While only one plunger has been illustrated at one side of each cylinder II, it is to be understood. of course, that-the plate locking mechaplunger actuating mechanism is also to be provided for the duplicated mechanism, but inasmuch as these devices are similar in construction and operation, only one'set has been here illustrated. The cylinder I8 is stopped in this position, and the centrifugally actuated arms 42 drop to position indicated in Figure 2, thus permitting inward movement of the levers I8 and rollers 32 A suitable valve, not shown, is operated to admit fluid under pressure into the cylinders 38, which forces each piston 35 and plunger 34 outwardly into engagement 'with a roller 32 positionedin its path of movement, and continued movement of each plunger forces a lever l8 inwardly against the tension of a spring 30, thereby rocking the pawls or fingers 55 to plate releasing'position, as indicated in Figure 2. The used plate 49 may then be readily removed and the new plate substituted. The fluid controlling valve is then manipulated to permit the springs 31 to withdraw the plungers 84 from engagement with the rollers 32, and their path of movement, thus permitting the springs 38 to force the engaged levers l8 outwardly, thereby moving the fingers or pawls 55 into the recesses 88 and into engagement with the shoulders 58 to force the beveled projections 52 of the engaged printing plate 49 into locking engagement with the beveled projections 53 of the margin .bars l5. The cylinder may then be rotated approximately 180, thus positioning the opposed plate so that it may be removed and a new plate substituted. After the plating operation, the cylinders are rotated to perform the usualprinting operations, and the rotary motion of the cylinder causes the arm 42 and enlarged head 43 of each centrifugally actuated member to move outwardly until the arm 42 engages the stop stud 45. In this position the fingers 64 are positioned under the rollers 32, thus preventing the inward movement of the arms i8, thereby securely holding the plate clamping or locking components in locked position. This arrangement locks each plate 48 to the cylinder it, because any tendency of the plate to be thrown off the cylinder by the action of centrifugal force is opposed by'the interlocking extensions 52 and 53 of the longitudinal edges of the plate and the margin bars, and also by the pawls 55.

In the form of the invention depicted in Figures 5 and 6, levers I8a are secured to longitudinally extending shafts I591, and-these shafts have a plurality of pawls 55:; secured thereto by inserting the pawls in suitable recesses 58 and securing them therein by screws or other securing devices 59. These pawls are constructed and arranged to project into the recesses 480 formed in the printing plates, and to engage the shoulders a to force the plate into locking-engagement with the margin bar l5, as shown in Figure 5 and described in the form of invention depicted in Figures 1 to 4. A portion of each shaft Ilia is provided with gear teethSO, thus producing a gear segment, and these teeth 88 mesh with rack teeth 5| formed on a piston member 62, which is slidably received within a cylinder 63. A headv or cap member 84 is provided for the cylinder 63 and is suitably secured to the printing cylinder Ill, and a helical extension spring 65 is positioned within the piston 62 and one terminal of the spring engages the cylinder head 64 and the opposed terminal engages the piston 62, thereby causing the spring tension to force the piston inwardly to rock its shaft lid and move the lockingpawls a into engagement with the shoulder 50a of the printing plate to move the printing plate into locking engagement with the margin bar. In order to release the selected printing plate, fluid from any suitable 6 source, not shown, is admitted into the cylinder 88 under, pressure, thereby'forcing the piston 82 outwardly against the tension or stress of the spring 85, and this movement of the piston 82 rotates or rocks a shaft |8a sufliciently to withdraw the pawls 55a from engagement with the printing plate shoulders 50a, therebyreleasing the plate, as shown in Figure 6, to permit its removal from the printing cylinder. A piston 82 is provided for each lever in, and the cylinders 15 63 are preferably positioned in different transverse planes, as indicated in full and dotted lines in Figure .5.

Another form of my invention is disclosed in- Figures' 7 and 8, in which form, levers |8b are 20 secured to shafts I 6b, and these shafts are mounted for rocking movement within the cylinder lllb, similar to the arrangement disclosed in Figures 1 to 5. The shafts ilib have pawls 55b suitably secured thereto, and these pawls enter recesses 25 68b formed in the printing plates and engage shoulder 50b, thereby moving the straight longitudinal terminals of the printing plate into locking engagement with the margin bars when the shafts are rocked to move the outer terminals of 30 the pawls 55b toward the margin bars IS. A link 88 is pivotally secured to theouter terminal of each lever I8b, as indicated at 68, and the opposed terminal of each link 58 is pivotally secured to a block or nut 18, as indicated at H. The 35 block 18 has a threaded aperture formed therein for the reception of the threaded shaft or screw 12, and the inner terminal of this shaft is rotatably mounted in an antifrlction bearing 73, and its opposed end is rotatably mounted in the bearing member or lugs M. In order to rotate the shaft 12,'a rectangular tool engaging head 75 is formed on the outer terminal thereof, and when a'wrench or the tool is applied to the head IE to rotate the shaft 12, the block 70 travels along the shaft 72. When the block 78 moves inwardly, motion is imparted to the levers l8b through the intermediation of the link 88, thereby causing the shafts lGb to move the pawls 55b into the recesses 68b and into engagement with the shoul- 50 ders 50b to lock and release the printing plate as hereinbefore disclosed.

In the form of my invention which is depicted in Figure 9, the margin bar lie is provided with beveled edges, the same as shown in the other disclosed forms, for interfitting engagement with the beveled straight edges of the printing plates, but each printing plate is provided with'lugs or bosses 88 which extend inwardly from the inner face of the printing plate from a point adjacent v the beveled longitudinal or straight edges thereof to provide shoulders 82. The lugs 88 are received within recesses 88 formed in the cylinder I00, and the shoulders 82 of the lugs 80 areengaged by the pawls or fingers 550 to force the printing plate into locking engagement with the margin bars, as hereinbefore disclosed.

a By the employment of applicants invention, as discloseddn this application, the straight or longitudinal edges of commercial stereotype or electrotype printing plates may be clamped or locked to the cylinder, and this clamping arrangement may' be employed in conjunction with the conventional clamping mechanism, not shown, which engages and clamps the curved faces therebetween, and the clamping pawls are so disposed as to form positive dovetails between the underside of the margin bar projections 53 and the engaging faces of the clamping pawls when these pawls are in looking position, thereby securely locking the plates to the cylinders against either radial or tangential motion.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, -a printing cylinder, margin bars on the cylinder, an arcuate printing plate, the straight edges of the printing plate and the longitudinal edges of the margih bars being constructed and arranged for interlocking engagement, and movable means for engaging and moving the plate transversely of the axes of the cylinder and the plate to force the straight edges of the plate towards the margin bars and into lock: ing engagement with the longitudinal edges of the margin bars thereby securingthe printing plate to the cylinder.

2. In combination, a printing cylinder, a printing plate having shoulders on the inner face thereof, bars carried by the cylinder and extenda ing longitudinally thereof. and movable means for engaging the shoulders to move the plate transversely of the axes of the. cylinder and the plate thereby forcing the straight edges of the plate towards the bars and into locking engagement with the said bars to lock the plate to the cylinder.

3. In combination, a printing cylinder, 9. printing plate having recesses formed therein, bars carried by the cylinder and extending longitudinally thereof, and movable'means for engaging the recesses-to move the plate thereby forcing the straight edges of the plate into locking engagement with the said bars to lock the plate to the cylinder.

4. In a plate clamping device, the combination with a printing cylinder, margin bars on the cylinder, and arcuate printing plates having shoulders formed on the inner face thereof, of means within the cylinder for engaging the shoulders to move the plate transversely of the axis of the cylinder to force the straight edges of the plate towards and into locking engagement with the margin bars thereby securing the plate to the cylinder.

5. In combination, a printing cylinder, a print- ,ing plate having recesses formed therein and a shoulder at one terminal of each recess, bars carried by the cylinder and extending longitudin'ally thereof, and movable means for engaging the shoulders to move theplate thereby forcing the straight edges of the plate into locking engagement with the said bars to lock the plate to the cylinder.

6. In combination, a printing cylinder, margin bars carried by the cylinder and extending longitudinally thereof, an arcuate printing plate having shoulders formed on the inner face thereof, the straight edges of the printing plate and longi tudinal edges of the margin bars being constructed and arranged for interlocking engagement, and means for engaging the shoulders for moving the plate transversely of the axes of the cylinder and the plate to force the straight edges of the plate towards and into locking engagement with the longitudinal edges of the margin. bars thereby securing the printing plate to the cylinder.

7. In combination, a printing. cylinder. margin bars carried by the cylinder, the longitudinal edges of the margin bars having projecting portions, an arcuate printing plate having projections extending from the inner portion of its straight edges, and means movable transversely of the axis of the printing cylinder for engaging and moving the plate toward the margin bars to move the projections of the plate under the projecting portions of the margin bars to thereby lock 20 the plate to the cylinder.

8. In combination, a printing cylinder, margin bars carried by the cylinder, the longitudinal edges of the margin bars being undercut, an arcuate printing plate having' projections on the straight edges thereof and shoulders formed on' its inner face adjacent its straight edges, and

movable means engaging the shoulders and moving the plate to move the projections into looking engagement with the undercut edges of the margin bars to thereby lock the plate to the cylinder. I

9. In combination, a. printing cylinder, margin bars on the cylinder, an arcuate printing plate,

the straight edges of the printing plate and longitudinal edges of the margin bars being constructed and arranged for interlocking engagement, movable members operably supported by the cylinder for engaging and moving .the plate to force the straight edges of the plate into looking engagement with the longitudinal edges of the margin bars thereby locking -the printing plate to the cylinder, and means for locking the movable member in plate locking position;

10. In combination, a printing cylinder, margin bars on the cylinder, an arcuate printing plate, the straight edges of the printing plate and longitudinal edges of the margin bars being contuated by the rotation of the cylinder for locking the movable member in plate locking posi ion.

11. In combination, a printing cylinde margin bars on the cylinder, an arcuate printing plate, the straight edges of the printing plate and longitudinal edges of the margin bars being constructed and arranged for interlocking engagem'ent, movable members operably supported by the cylinder for engaging and moving the plate to force the straight edges of the plate into locking engagement withthe longitudinal edges of the margin bars thereby locking the printing .plate to the cylinder, means for locking the movable member in plate locking position, and centrifugally-actuated means for locking the movable member in plate locking position.

12. In; combination, a printing cylinder. margin bars on the, cylinder, an arcuate printing- 'plate, the straight of'the. printing plate 15 and the longitudinal edges of the margin bars being constructed and arranged for interlocking engagement, movable members operably supported by the cylinder for engaging and moving the plate to force the straight edges of the plate into locking engagement with the longitudinal edges of the margin bars thereby locking the plate to the cylinder, means for stressing the movable member toward plate looking position, means for moving the movable member against the stressing means away from plate locking position, and means for locking the movable members in plate locking position.

13. In combination, a printing cylinder, margin bars on the cylinder, an arcuate printing plate, the straight edges of the printing plate and the longitudinal edges of the margin bars being constructed and arranged for interlocking engagement, spring actuated members operably supported by the cylinder for engaging and moving the plate to force the straight edges of the plate into locking engagement with the longitudinal edges of the margin bars thereby locking the printing plate to the cylinder.

14. In combination, a printing cylinder, margin bars on the cylinder, an arcuate printing plate, the straight edges of the printing plate and the longitudinal edges of the margin bars being constructed and arranged for interlocking engagement, spring actuated members operably supported by the cylinder for engaging and moving the plate to force the straight edges of the plate into locking engagement with the longitudinaledges or the margin bars thereby locking the printing plate to the cylinderfand means ior locking the movable member in plate locking position.

15. In combination, a printing cylinder, margin bars on the cylinder, an arcuate printing plate, the straight edges of the printing plate and the longitudinal edges of the margin bars being constructed and arranged for interlocking engagement, movable members operably supported by the cylinder for engaging and moving the plate to force the straight edges of the plate into locking engagement with the longitudinal edges of the margin bars thereby locking the printing plate to the cylinder, means for stressing the movable member toward plate locking position, and means for locking the movable member in plate loc position.

16. combination, a printing cylinder, margin bars on the cylinder, an arcuate printing plate,

. the straight edges of the printing plate and the longitudinal edges of the margin bars being constructed and arranged for interlocking engage- 5 ment, movable members operably supported by the cylinder for engaging and moving the plate to force the straight edges of the plate into locklocking position. l5

17. In combination, a printing cylinder, margin bars on the cylinder, an arcuate printing plate, the straight edges of the printing plate and the longitudinal edges of the margin bars being constructed and arranged for interlocking engagement, movable members operably supported by the cylinder for engaging and moving the plate to force the straight edges of the plate into looking engagement with the longitudinal edges of the margin bars thereby locking the printing plate to the cylinder, means for biasing the movable member towards plate locking position, means operable in opposition to the biasing means for moving the movable members from plate locking position, and means for locking the movable member in plate locking position.

18. In combination, a printing cylinder, margin bars on the cylinder, an arcuate printing plate, the straight edges of the printing plate and the longitudinal edges of the margin barsrbeing constructed and arranged for interlocking engagement, movable members operably supported by the cylinder for engaging and moving the plate to force the straight edges of the plate into locking engagement with the longitudinal edges of the margin bars thereby locking the printing plate to the cylinder, means for biasing the movable member toward plate locking position, means operable in opposition to the biasing means for moving the movable members from plate locking position, and means actuated by the rotation of the cylinder for locking the movable members in plate locking position. a

\ j WILLIAM F. HUCK. 

